If you follow me on Instagram, there are slim odds that you didn't see that I was in Amsterdam because of how much I posted LOL. It was my first time there (or in the Netherlands, rather) and I truly was in heaven. The amount of vegan options (and vegan restaurants in general!) was so impressive and exciting. Nearly every place we went there were at least a few different vegan options, and we even went to a handful of exclusively vegan restaurants during our time there. There is not one meal that I had that would rate below a 7/10 (that's me being realistic, but honestly would rate them all 11/10).

My best friend Kaitie is currently an au pair in Haarlem (about 15-minute train from Amsterdam), so I got to spend a lot of time exploring Haarlem as well. We also took a quick day trip to Delft, and then my friends and I took a quick train to Zandvoort one day for quick beach views. I've included the restaurants from all these places in the list, though the options in Amsterdam were naturally more copious.

Another note- almost every coffee shop I went in has oat, coconut, almond milk, or another milk alternative! This goes for every city in the Netherlands I visited!! Plus you'll have to try fresh mint, ginger, and other herbal teas. Instead of tea bags, they will steep fresh mint sprigs, ginger root, cinnamon bark, or other fresh herbs in hot water and it truly is the most refreshing tea you never knew you needed. It seems so simple, but is something culturally we don't do. I've loved bringing this back to the States.

If you've never been to Amsterdam before, here's your excuse to go!!! You can actually find really reasonably priced flights if you're looking out on sites like Scotts Cheap Flights or The Flight Deal - I got mine round trip from Denver for less than $500! Also note- if you want to catch the giant Holland Tulip Festival (Keukenhof) go in later April or May. We went late March and the tulips weren't quite yet ready, but are now in almost full bloom!

Tulips from Keukenhof

A note about gluten:

I will say, gluten affects me differently in Europe than in the States. I've noticed this since the first time I went to Europe in 2012, and I've been back 2 other times since then. In the States, I know if I've had gluten within 30 minutes of ingesting it. I get a very distinct headache and some GI issues I'd rather not disclose on the internet. I also get these terrible dark circles under my eyes that take a few days to go away. In Europe, it's simply not the case. I play it safe and don't overdo it, but the most I've felt is a little bloated after having a huge plate of pasta and some bread (and probably because my body's just not used to that). I'm not sure if it's the way that the gluten is grown or processed (or lack of processing in Europe) or if its genetic modfication/pesticides that negatively affect me in the states, but honestly I'm not fighting it! So you'll notice that while a lot of my recommendations are gluten-free, not all of them are. Just wanted to make a special note to all of my followers with gluten sensitivity.

Amsterdam

Spirit

This was arguably my favorite place we went the entire trip. Spirit is an amazing vegetarian restaurant (with a majority of their entrees being vegan). It’s all buffet style and then measured by weight. BEWARE of this because it’s SO easy to get over-excited and want to try one of everything… and then you really pay. My friend Victoria and I got so much that it ended up being over 25 euro! But it's soo good you eat it all (even past your full point lol). They also have buffet style dessert and vegan ice cream! It truly was a dream, and in such a fun part of town that I’m glad we visited. MENU | WEBSITE

Meatless District

Jerusalem artichoke hummus toast

Spicy ‘chicken’ toast

French Toast with blackberry compote+ whipped cream

Such a fun restaurant! They have many unique vegan options and amazing toasts! Their brunch is amazing, so if you’re able to make it during their brunch hours you definitely should! I had their vegan french toast (though it was not gluten-free) though some of my friends got the spicy chicken and the humus toasts and loved it. Spicy chicken toast won most photogenic. MENU | WEBSITE

Mastino Pizza

(L) New Vegan Pizza (R) can't find the name online but will keep looking

They specialize in vegan and gluten-free pizzas!! This was hands down the best gluten-free crust I’ve ever had! It was so spot on that I almost didn’t believe it was gluten-free. They have a lot of unique options and combinations. It would be a great place to take omni friends too, they also have regular cheese if you ask for it, though the vegan cheese is so good I doubt they’d even need it. MENU | WEBSITE

Vegabond

Overnight oats with cinnamon and pear

A completely vegan restaurant and shop!! There’s not much room in here for large groups (read: no tables, just benches), but it’s perfect for a quick casual breakfast, brunch, snack, etc. I had some overnight oats that had fresh pear and they have to be some of my favorite I’ve had. They also had a gluten-free hazelnut brownie that was UNREALLLLLLL. I still dream of it. I also got some yummy snacks for the plane ride home. Easter was the coming weekend so I got a bunch of vegan candy to come home with, though I accidentally ended up eating all of it on my way home… oops. It’s in the Jordaan which is such a fun area, and it’s right around the corner from the Anne Frank House (which btw make a reservation as far ahead as possible (read: weeks), I didn’t get to go inside because I didn’t make a reservation). MENU | WEBSITE

Metropolitain

'Healthy Acai Bowl'

This was somewhere we all met up for brunch, and though it’s not a vegan restaurant they did have some great options! They had an açaí bowl that was very yummy (also just a note- most smoothies or smoothie bowls in Europe I’ve found to be closer to room temp than frozen, so just keep that in mind when you’re ordering one!) They also had overnight oats which were also delicious. They had a few options for freshly squeezed juices and I got the 'Spice Up Your Life' with grapefruit/orange & cayenne. MENU | WEBSITE

Vegan Junk Food Bar

Original VJFB Burger with Sweet Potato Fries

My friends LOVED this! I did too of course, but it was kinda heavy for me. It was a great option for vegan burgers, chicken nuggets, fries, and other fried food. It was REALLY delicious, but I would recommend splitting if you can because it can be really dense! I didn’t get the chicken nuggets, but tried one of my friend’s and wish I would have. Their ice cream was really good too. The space is small so if you have a big group of friends be prepared to split up. MENU | WEBSITE

De Biertuin

A great lunch spot with tons of local beer options. They ended up having a veggie burger which was SO GOOD. I love it when veggie burgers come out thick & juicy (and looking like a real burger). Plus it was even topped off with mango chutney! Two thumbs up from me! MENU | WEBSITE

Pllek

Veggie sandwich

Fresh mint tea

Falafles

Pllek is in Noord- you can take a free ferry over to this side of Amsterdam. They had a few really good options. Their website says: We recently introduced our new menu: our dishes are now 75% vegetarian, of which 25% are even vegan. They said their soup is usually vegetarian, and sometimes vegan. Their falafels were some of the best I’ve had, and I got this amazing deconstructed sandwich that had a unique mixture of flavors, but balanced so well. I need to start adding hazelnuts to everything! MENU | WEBSITE

Foodhallen

This place is a must!! And would be great for bigger groups of friends (or friends who are not open to veggie options). There’s tons of food stands and many of them have vegan options. I went to a Mexican restaurant that had vegan nachos and cashew cheese! I then got some coconut yogurt & fruit from Yoghurt Barn for dessert. WEBSITE | LIST OF FOOD STANDS

Haarlem

By Lima

Banoffee pancakes

Fresh cinnamon tea

Such a fun place to go with friends! When the weather is nice they have a cute area to sit outside. They had DELISH vegan/gf pancakes and serve breakfast all day.. They also had a whole shelf of vegan/gf pastries inside. MENU | WEBSITE

Native

(L) coconut yogurt bowl (R) chocolate overnight oats

One of my favorite restaurants I went to in Haarlem! I got the chocolate overnight oats and could have ordered another one. They also had a coconut yogurt granola bowl that looked amazing. They had many options for gluten-free/vegan pastries as well! It was such a fun space and I loved their little deer (ish) logo. WEBSITE

Frenchie

THE CUTEST!!! The logo has cute little frenchie puppy ears and the ambience inside is so fun. They had some great pancakes that I’m fairly positive were vegan, but had a few doubts after. I would double check with the kitchen staff haha. But seriously was so so cute. Great chai latte as well. WEBSITE

Cleeff

They didn’t have a ton of vegan options but I still wanted to include them as a coffee shop. They let me get gluten-free toast with avocado (though it wasn’t on the menu) and a fruit bowl that was fresh and filling. Their coconut chai latte was my favorite chai latte I had the entire time I was there! WEBSITE

Sla

I sadly didn't end up getting to go here! Sla is an organic salad bar with soooo many plant-based options. I'm actually crying internally right now because I wanted to go so bad. You'll have to check out their menu and try it for me! Sla means lettuce in Dutch by the way. So cute! WEBSITE

Delft

Kek

If you go to Delft, YOU HAVE TO GO HERE. I almost didn’t want to leave because the whole place was adorable. They have an extensive food menu with many many vegan options. Their coffee was amazing and they also had a bunch of smoothie options! It was so fun to chill on the couches and sip a cup of coffee. They also had great desserts. Kaitie and I pretty much had a TREAT YO'SELF moment inside this place. They also had such cute shop items!! WEBSITE | INSTA

The Living

We went here for lunch one day and it was super yummy! It’s a little small, serve-yourself vegetarian restaurant. It reminded me of a baby-sized Provision Kitchen (for my friends in OKC to give you an idea). I really liked it, though it didn’t have as many options as I wanted it to. I still had a great experience and left feeling very satisfied and nourished. MENU | WEBSITE

Zandvoort

Hippie Fish

WINS HANDS DOWN BEST AMBIENCE AWARD. I couldn’t stop taking photos in here. It was the CUTEST restaurant on the beach in Zandvoort. I’m thinking about hiring them to decorate my house. They had a few vegan options, not a ton, but still you should go here if you’re wanting to go to a beach and wanting to have a good time with friends! WEBSITE

Other non-food related photos from our trip!

Houston has become a city I have grown to love. One of my very best friends, Kate, lives in HTX and I try to visit any time our schedules/wallets allow. A bonus part of our friendship is that she is also a lover of fruits & veggies, so we try out new healthy restaurants all the time. This time we made it our mission to discover the plant-based options that HTX has to offer, and I was very impressed!! We found some delicious restaurants that offer amazing plant-based options that were somewhat tucked away (and got our friends Kyleigh and Carli to join too!). We got to try a great handful of restaurants this time, but I'm excited to come back and try the many more that are on the list!

Green Seed is one of the only restaurants in Houston that I found that was completely plant-based, and primarily raw! Almost everything on the menu could be made gluten free. Their menu had wraps and sandwiches, salads, veggie burgers, and smoothies/juices. It looks a bit run down on the outside but is really cute and fresh on the inside. We had an amazing micro green salad, a brown rice wrap with portobello mushrooms and sweet potatoes, dill dusted sweet potato fries, and a gf/vegan brownie! This is definitely a must-try in HTX.

Local Foods

Local Foods was hands down my favorite place we went in Houston. It’s not a plant-based restaurant but they have plenty of plant-based options on their menu, including a vegan kale caesar salad topped with homemade vegan cheese! I also tried some delicious Ruby Grapefruit Kombucha as a collaboration between Pat Greer’s Kitchen and Local Foods. I had a taste of my friend Kate’s Harvest Salad and it was a winner too. This is a great place to go with vegan-curious or omnivorous friends.

Old Saigon

Veggie & Tofu Pho with added artichokes

Some of the best pho I’ve ever had! Old Saigon had plenty of veggie options and veggie broth. They had artichoke pho, which was the first time I had ever heard of it, but now I’m wondering why others don’t offer it!! I got the tofu & veggies pho with artichokes and practically slurped it all down. The edamame was delicious and their tofu spring rolls (though I didn’t try any) looked delish.

Juice Well

JuiceWell is a great smoothie/smoothie bowl restaurant. You can customize your own bowl and add any topping/ingredient you want or order from the menu. It reminded me of a Which Wich for açaí bowls. This has been one of my favorite places in Houston so far! Plus they have a great outside patio that is really fun when the weather is nice.

DIY açaí / pitaya bowls!

Daily Juice

Daily Juice is another great local smoothie/juice/acai bowl joint. Everything on the menu is dairy-free and gluten-free, which made it extremely easy to order! Kate and I both got the Half Moon and made it into a bowl with gluten-free granola and berries. Wish I could have tried a few others!

Bellagreen

Oh Kale Yeah! salad with blackened tofu and portabella mushroom tacos

Formerly RugglesGreen, BellaGreen is an upper-scale restaurant has plenty of veggie options. I had the Oh Kale Yeah! salad with blackened tofu and it was possibly one of my favorite salads I’ve ever had! This is a great place for a nicer dinner and a glass of wine. You will have plenty of options to choose from on their menu!

MOD Pizza

MOD is a fun, quick pizza restaurant with gluten-free and dairy-free options on their menu. Their dairy-free cheese was actually really great, I didn’t recognize the taste so I know it wasn’t Daiya. They have plenty of veggies to load on your pizza, so Kate and I made our own and split and piled on the toppings. They also had a pizza salad which seemed interesting- like a salad on top of a pizza crust. This is a great restaurant to bring your non-vegan friends so that everyone can get something delicious.

Harvest Organic Grille

Harvest is really delicious health food with a brunch bar & extensive menu. They have tons of great options and a many vegan-friendly entrees. It was fun to sit out on their patio and enjoy a salad and green juice. A great restaurant for families.

Pepper Tree (I was sad I didn’t get to try out this restaurant because I have heard they have a killer dinner buffet with an insane amount of delicious vegan options. This is next on my list!)

Govinda’s Vegetarian Cuisine(Right next to a beautiful Indian Temple! They have a great rotation of vegan buffet items and have everything marked vegan/gluten-free on the menu, which was really helpful! They are completely vegan on Wednesdays and Sundays. Would love to make it over next time)

Awesome Bites Co. (Houston first allergy friendly, health conscious bakery. Everything on the menu is dairy, egg, soy and nut free, vegan and plant based. Also find unusual treats like their one-of-a-kind muffins only sweetened with fruits and vegetables and gluten free brownies and blondies that are bean based!)

Loving Hut(I was surprised to find Loving Hut in Houston, I first found it in Westfield Mall in San Francisco. It’s a completely vegan asian fast-food, almost like Panda Express but healthy. I loved it when I had it in SF, so I’m assuming the Houston location is great as well!)

Cafe TH (a vietnamese restaurant that has an entire vegan portion of their menu that features curry, stir fried tofu and pho which are gluten-free)

Kraftsmen Baking (a coffee shop and brunch spot. I loved the environment here. They have plant-based milks that you can use in your drink, and I actually spotted some vegan jerky for sale on their shelf!)

Adair Kitchen(they have a black bean quinioa burger that you can use as protein for any entree. They have a 'Super Veggie Bowl' and a 'Super Food Bowl' on their lunch & dinner menus that look great. They also have an entire juice menu)

Fadi's(my friend Kate has a major crush on this place. She says they have amazing hummus and homemade falafels!)

Les Ba'get(not very veggie friendly, but I got a really good vermicelli noodle bowl with tofu (make sure to ask for no fish sauce!) their specialty is beef, so that adds another aspect of the restaurant. They don’t have veggie broth, so this is not the place to get pho. Delicious tofu though!)

Black Walnut Cafe (only had a few vegan options but had a delicious hummus black bean burger! Paired great with sweet potato fries & fruit. Apparently their hummus is also great.)

Crumbville (bakery that serves some delicious vegan options in the Third Ward)

Happy 2018!!!

Over the new year, I traveled with my fiancé's family to Breckenridge for a family ski trip. I had already prepared myself for the food options, as I figured there were going to be very few restaurants in the area that had plant-based options... but I thought wrong! I was pleasantly surprised when I googled "vegan pizza breckenridge" (obviously) around 8:30 at night and found out that there was a COMPLETELY VEGAN PIZZERIA 0.4 MILES AWAY AND IT WAS OPEN! I immediately freaked out and got my fiancé and his brother to make the freezing trek over. From there we asked the waitress about more vegan options and found out that there were plenty of restaurants, one being 70 steps (yes I counted) from our rental home. The trip would have been so much fun anyway, but having some hearty plant-based food made it even better. I hope this is helpful to any skiers or boarders looking to find plant-based options on and off the mountain.

Piante Pizzeria

THIS is the pizzeria that was a game changer. They had an amazing menu, the best kale caesar salad I've ever had (non-vegan caesar salads included) and AMAZING homemade cashew cheese. They even have cashew parmesan at each table. I got the white pizza with gluten-free crust (which was also delicious and well-made). The white pizza had organic cashew mozzarella, house-made organic cashew ricotta, garlic, shiitake mushroom bacon, arugula, and then I added artichokes. This is the kind of place you can take your non-vegan friends to enjoy some vegan comfort food.

Amazing Grace Natural Eatery

This was the place that was literally across the street from us (I counted 70 steps door-to-door). It's not primarily vegan but a majority of the entrees on their menu can be made vegan. They also regularly have vegan muffins! We only ever had breakfast here, but their breakfast menu was on point. I tried the Breakfast Burrito the first time, made it into a bowl and subbed spicy tofu for the eggs. It also had black beans, spicy sweet potatoes, spinach & salsa. I also tried their blueberry oatmeal, granola + soy milk, and their breakfast tacos (made vegan with spicy tofu). You definitely have to check this place out at least once while you're in Breck. (Plus they have great organic & fair trade coffee!)

Clint's Bakery

This was one of the recommendations that the waitress from Piante recommended. It ended up being so much more than I expected! They regularly had gluten-free vegan chocolate chip cookies (I say regularly because I got them 3 different times..) and really great coffee. They also have fun lattes like matcha and turmeric, which was great! They have breakfast and lunch but we never were able to try it. OH and they also have ice cream!! They only one vegan sorbet- but honestly I'll count it as a win.

LoLo's Juice

We saw LoLo's from Piante. I went here one day while on a walk with one of my fiancés cousins but forgot to snap a picture. They have tons of juices, smoothie bowls, juice shots, and energy balls. I had a turmeric shot and it was great for a long, tiring day on the mountain. I really wanted to try a smoothie bowl but I had just eaten lunch (and plus it was 25º outside). They have a seasonal menu that also includes sandwiches and wraps. I wish I could have gone here once more to try something else, but was pleased that Breck had a fresh smoothie/juice bar!

Inside Breckenridge

Summit Soba Bowl at the Overlook on Peak 9

I was 100% not expecting to find anything on the mountain, and was shocked when I actually found a hearty meal! On all of their menus they actually had a "GF" or "V" logo, which made it easier to find something. They usually only had 1 or 2 options, but I was happy to even find anything! Plus plant-based ramen hit the SPOT after a morning on the slopes.

Blue Stag (was reluctant to go here but ended up having their superfoods salad and it was delicious! Plus they had grilled portobello mushroom as an option for protein and it was really good! Their sweet potato fries were amazing too)

I've lived in Norman since the summer of 2007, after I moved from Tulsa. It is such a fun town (it's said to be "the biggest small town you'll ever find" by many locals). Since the University of Oklahoma is located in Norman, there's a huge population of individuals aged 18-24. Fortunately, plant-based, gluten-free, organic, and health food is heavily driven by this demographic, which increases the need in Norman! While there were very limited choices when I moved here in 2007, the growth of plant-based options in my home town is very exciting to say the least. Other fun parts of Norman include the downtown strip which has many restaurants and neat local shops.

For World Vegan Day, I took over the University of Oklahoma's Instagram account and made a special smoothie bowl for my alma mater. If you haven't seen it yet, be sure to check out the Boomer Bowl and give it a try! Whether you're a student, an alum, or a Norman visitor, I hope this guide is helpful to locate plant-based meals on Campus Corner and the rest of Norman.

Campus Corner

Coriander Cafe

Pho with lemongrass tofu

Coriander is hands down my favorite restaurant on Campus Corner (and maybe even Norman!) They are extremely vegan and gluten friendly and even have an easy-to-read allergen menu that can help you choose a plant-based (and in my case, gluten-free) meal. My FAVORITE entree is their pho with lemongrass tofu. All of their pho is made with veggie broth and gluten-free rice noodles, which is uncommon and amazing if you're a vegan pho connoisseur. Other items to note are the lettuce wraps with lemongrass tofu, the tofu noodle bowl, and veggie or tofu spring rolls. Their salt and pepper tofu can be made vegan, but is not gluten-free. If you're on campus corner, you HAVE to give Coriander a try.

Crimson & Whipped Cream

Crimson is a bakery and coffee shop that is very vegan friendly. They have almond and soy milk available to swap for dairy milk to make any drink vegan. They have vegan chocolate chip cookies to DIE for (better than the originals) and usually have another vegan-friendly bakery item. Today they had vegan banana nut bread and vegan brownies!

T.E.A. Cafe

TEA Caf has tons of entrees that can be made vegan upon request. This includes fried rice, stir fry rice noodles, and Singapore rice noodles which can be made with tofu or veggies (be sure to ask for no eggs!) They have a wonderful Three Spice Tofu entree, which is one of my very favorites. Their boba tea is dairy-free (even the "milk" teas are made with dairy-free powders).

Other restaurants with plant-based options on Campus Corner or campus area:

Second wind Coffee (swap out almond, coconut, or soy milk for dairy milk to make any coffee vegan! Payment by donation!)

Pepe Delgados (has an entire portion of their menu labeled as "Vegetariano". Just be sure to ask for no cheese or sour cream)

Volare (has vegan pizza!! and great looking salads if you take off the cheese. Also have a veggie panini that can be made gluten-free. Make sure to omit cheese. Any pizza can be made GF by request)

Which Wich (vegetarian sandwich bag available with great vegan black bean patty! You can also make it a lettuce wrap to continue the veggie goodness)

The Mont (they have a SECRET black bean burrito that is not on the menu. Make sure to ask for no cheese or sour cream)

Rest of Norman

(aka not campus corner)

The Earth Cafe & Deli

Tempeh tacos with vegan cheese and a side of carrots

Banana Kale smoothie with almond milk and hemp protein

The Earth is hands down the best place to go if you are plant-based or have dietary restrictions. Their menu is laden with plant-based options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Some of my favorite entrees include the tempeh tacos and breakfast tacos (ask for vegan cheese), the moonmaiden grilled cheese (with vegan cheese and gluten-free bread), the southwest salad (with vegan cheese), and any of their smoothies made with almond milk! They use only whole foods in their smoothies and have hemp protein and other superfoods (like spirulina) that can be added to boost smoothies.

Scratch Kitchen & Cocktails

Scratch has some great options on their menu for plant-based vegans. They have a great quinoa sweet potato veggie burger made from scratch (you probably could have guessed from the restaurant's name). They also have a Quinoa & Veggie entree.

Norman Farmer's Market

The Norman Farmer's Market comes around the 1st Saturday in April and ends its season the last Tuesday / Saturday of October. They have great options to buy local and organic produce. It's definitely something you don't want to miss.

Gray Owl Coffee

Gray Owl has some of the best coffees and tea in town. You can sub almond or soy milk for dairy milk in any drink. They almost always have vegan bakery items. Such a neat environment with great music. You will definitely run into the artsy side of Norman here.

Am I missing your favorite plant-based restaurant? Have a city request? Other suggestions or comments? Click here!

"Since beans are legumes, doesn't this technically make the Chicago Bean the giant legume of the Midwest?" - the most plant-based dietitian thought of all time.

I visited Chicago for this year's FNCE (Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo) aka the annual national dietitian conference. If you haven't noticed already, I LOVE conferences. It's an opportunity to have experts train you on their topic of expertise, you get to ability network, and it's a great excuse to travel to a new city. I recently traveled to Seattle (check out my Plant-Based Guide to Seattle) for a conference about SOS Feeding Therapy and to Albuquerque (wasn't making plant-based city guides when I went to this one, but planning on making one retroactively) for P-POD (Plant Based Prevention of Disease) Conference.

Chicago was so fun. There was great food and tons of plant-based options that have been around for decades! If you are traveling to Chicago looking for restaurants, I hope this guide will be helpful! You can also check out the Vegan Chicago facebook page or join the group Plant-Based Chicago.

Chicago Diner

Chicago Diner is one of the longest standing vegetarian restaurants in Chicago. It was established in 1983 and has famous vegan milkshakes (it’s October so they had a pumpkin spice milkshake that was amaaaazing), plant-based burgers and comfort food, and an entire gluten-free menu (and here's the normal one). I tried the Buddha Karma Burger (a curried sweet potato-tofu patty topped with grilled pineapple, lettuce, onion & chimichurri sauce and I added avocado). Truly one of the best vegan burgers I’ve had! Definitely a must-try for anyone visiting Chicago.

True Food Kitchen

True Food is more of a chain, but so delicious nonetheless. They have locations all over California, a few in Texas, Denver, and some other places in the east. Their menu is seasonal and is based on the Anti-Inflammatory Diet by Dr. Andrew Weil. Their menu is marked with vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options. I got the Ancient Grains bowl with miso glazed sweet potato, turmeric, charred onion, snow peas, grilled portobello, avocado, hemp seeds, and I added tofu. I've heard they have a great brunch and also have really delicious desserts.

Bad Hunter

Bad Hunter is a a veg-forward restaurant and bar in the West Loop. Their menu has sections of entrees for 'Plants', 'Pasta', and 'Protein'. They also have a nice wine list and have other menus for lunch, midday, dinner, midday brunch, and dessert. They are small plates to share and they recommend to order 2-3 plates person. They have a vegan menu and a gluten-free menu as well! I went with my friend Paula and we got 3 plates to share- the Spicy Dry-Fried String Beans, Hominy Aguachile, and Coconut Ash Maltagliati (not gf). Everything was SO great and unique but all three were very spicy! It was such a fun environment and very hip. I definitely recommend it, especially if you're going with non-vegan friends who aren't totally up for a completely plant-based restaurant.

Left Coast Food + Juice

Left Coast is a trendy & hip food & juice bar. They have a great breakfast/brunch featuring a few different types of avocado toast, tostadas, pancakes, hashes, and acai bowls. Their menu also has bowls of greens, grains, and wraps. They also have great coffee and a nice smoothie list. They also have an outdoor area and upstairs that makes for a really great eating environment.

Native Foods

Native Foods is a completely plant-based restaurant which makes their own seitan, tempeh, sauces, and vegan cheese! Part of their mission statement is to "bring sustainable food to the heart of communities; support environmental and animal advocacy groups on a local and national level, and educate our youth to eat peace." I was craving something salty/savory when I came up on this place so I got their nachos. They're made with cashew cheese and fresh guac and were SO good. Their seitan was really tasty too. I wish I could try more of their menu before I have to leave though.

REAL GOOD JUICE Co.

REAL GOOD is a great juice and smoothie bar in Chicago. They are not limited to juice or smoothies- their menu also has toasts, warm bowls, and other things like vegan jerky and superfood bites. All of the menu items have hilariously punny names. The one I tried was the 'Bluice Wayne' which has Blue Majik (spirulina), vanilla, almonds, coconut, and sea salt. You can find them in most Whole Foods in Chicago but they also have free-standing locations,

Hi-Vibe Superfood Juicery

Hi-Vibe is a superfood juicery inside the Merchandise Market. Their menu is very extensive and they have tons of different superfood smoothies, smoothie bowls, mylks and shakes, cold-pressed juice, superfood shots, and also salads and toasts. I got the Cacao Acai bowl which had acai blended with banana, chaga tea (a tea from Chaga mushrooms- this is their base instead of dairy!), raw cacao, homemade granola, cacao nibs, and a hazelnut cacao butter drizzle. It naturally comes with honey and bee pollen, so to make it vegan just request it without these items! Very delicious and a big serving size.

Other noteworthy restaurants I didn't get to try:

Kāl'ish (many vegan options and very vegan-friendly. They are happy to make entrees gluten-free by subbing salad greens) MENU

The Handlebar (made-from-scratch vegetarian and vegan comfort food for breakfast, lunch and dinner with a full-service bar and beer garden)

Pick Me Up Cafe (one of the only vegan/vegetarian friendly restaurants open until 2am! They also have a great breakfast and weekend brunch) MENU

Soul Vegetarian (have been serving vegan/vegetarian foods for over 30 years in Chicago. Fully believe in food as medicine and have no refined sugars, flours, or rice and place a lot of importance on environmental sustainability)

Am I missing your favorite plant-based restaurant? Have a city request? Other suggestions or comments? Click here!

Oklahoma City Farmer's Market! Also check out the Uptown 23rd Farmer's Market and the Edmond Market nearby!

Oklahoma City has been rapidly expanding the past few years, as have the plant-based options! More and more restaurants are offering vegetarian or vegan-friendly meals and even full menus. Excitingly, there are a few restaurants that are entirely plant-based, which is truly the best feeling when you know you can order anything off the menu. Access to fresh fruits and vegetables is also increasing with the help of local farmer's markets and restaurants putting in an effort to source locally to support Oklahoma farmers. It's an exciting time in Oklahoma to be plant-based, let me tell ya that! We still have a long way to go, but we are off to a great start.

Wheeze the Juice

Wheeze is at the top of my list because (1) smoothies, smoothie bowls, and juices are my JAM (2) because they have the neatest environment and are stationed in an old shipping container (3) because the staff is for real the best. You can read my article about them in Edible OKC Magazine for more. Here you can find locally-sourced and mostly organic fruits and veggies artfully crafted into unique smoothie bowls, smoothies, juices, juice shots, and energy balls. They also have 1 and 3 day juice cleanses which are a must-try!

The Loaded Bowl

The Loaded Bowl started out as a food truck and has evolved into a brick-and-mortar restaurant within the past year. Their motto is 'conscious comfort food' and are a completely plant-based restaurant (and also have many gluten-free options). You can check out an article I wrote about them for Beloved Magazine here. This restaurant is a 100% MUST. They are known for their famous cashew mac and cheese, but also be sure to check out their layered enchiladas and sesame rice bowl. OH and their desserts are to DIE FOR. Be sure to come hungry- a "regular" size alone can last two meals- and the LOADED size can keep you full for dayyyzzzz.

Nourished Food Co.

Nourished is an easy fave for me. They are a completely plant-based, gluten-free food bar in downtown OKC. It's run by a husband and wife who are some of the sweetest people! All of their food is unique, delicious, and refreshing. Their kale salad is one of my staples, although their sandwiches are also unbelievable. Also take note of their kale chips, homemade vegan cheese, homemade gluten-free bread, and the golden milk smoothie. Honestly just take note of the whole menu!!

The Red Cup

The Red Cup is a vegan hotspot. It's a great coffee shop and restaurant all in one. They have great coffee and even better vegan burgers. Everything on the menu is vegetarian, but can be made vegan if you ask for it! This place has been around since '95 and is a great gathering place for all. Read Edible OKC's article about The Red Cup here.

Elemental Coffee

Elemental Coffee is one of my favorite coffee shops in OKC. They are their own roasterie and brew shop in Midtown. They not only have amazing coffee but they also have delicious baked goodies (they ALWAYS have a vegan and gluten-free options) and their entire menu (weekday breakfast, weekday lunch, and weekend brunch) can ALL be made vegan!

Provision Kitchen

Provision Kitchen is a local farm-to-table restaurant in Nichols Hills, essentially just north of Oklahoma City. They have their own farm just outside of OKC called the 'Provision Farm' which sources a majority of their produce. They even have a neat little sign above their cold and hot bars that tells where each of their ingredients was sourced. It's all seasonal, local, and organic! Their menu is changing constantly and seasonal so you are sure to get something delicious and different every time you come. They also have a refrigerated to-go section where you can grab a single serving to heat up later. It's essentially the healthy version of fast food! If you're in north OKC, you definitely need to check this place out (and then also hit up the Trader Joe's right next door!)

Roxy's Ice Cream Social

Roxy's is a local ice cream shop in the Plaza District. They source all kinds of ice creams and sorbets but ALWAYS have a few choices of vegan ice cream. Two of my classic favorites are German chocolate and cake batter, but when Bananas Foster and Lemon Poppyseed roll around I can hardly control myself. 12/10 would recommend.

Other honorable mentions:

Urban Agrarian; Farmer's Market District (local food market with fresh and delicious produce and other local items)

Goro Ramen; Plaza District (have a great vegan ramen, the 'yasai' that can be made gf too)

The Wedge Pizzeria; Paseo District (great gf/vegan pizza topped with their homemade vegan cheese. They actually have an entire vegan menu if you ask for it when you are seated!)

Stone Sisters Pizza Bar (DELICIOUS vegan pizza. They have an entire section of the menu dedicated to vegan pizza. GF crust is also delicious. Also have vegan chili)

Holey Rollers (some of the BEST vegan donuts you will ever find. They are currently just a food truck but are in the process of becoming brick-and-mortar)

Pho Ca Dao; Asian District (vegan-friendly pho, one of the only ones in OKC that will use veggie broth)

The Pritchard Wine Bar; Plaza District (tons of veggies and they are open to adapting their entrees to be veggie friendly. Great veggie appetizer. Their homemade pickles and roasted veggies are to die for!)

The Hall's Pizza Kitchen (they can make any of their pizzas vegan - my fave is the Matt with artichokes and caramelized onions and peppers - and they also have gluten-free crust, one of the best I've ever tried!)

The Press OKC; Plaza District (new restaurant in OKC- never tried but heard they have a great veggie burger. They also have a greens & beans bowl for both lunch and dinner and a vegan dumpling soup for dinner!)

The Jones Assembly: has a small section of their menu entitled "Vegan". You can have any pizza made vegan with cashew cheese. They also have avocado toast, Boston greens, or Cacio E Pepe with Cashew Cheese. Dairy-free sorbets too!

The Drake; Uptown 23rd (I've never been but have heard they have good roasted veggies and are great about making delicious vegan meals when you ask!)

Guyutes; Uptown 23rd (never been but had a friend tell me they have a great vegan entree- "The Lot V", but after looking at their online menu they have gluten free pizzas and tortillas and falafel as a protein option on all of their items, Their salads look delish!)

Green Goodies; Classen Curve (vegan cupcakes and other sweets! gf options available but are not vegan)

Packard's New American Kitchen; Automobile Alley (many options that can be made vegan, but by far the best vegan dish is the lentil curry at dinner and the vegan tofu scramble at brunch!) MENU

Revolución Taqueria & Cantina (two great vegan tacos on the menu: the 'Cauliflower al Pastor' with cauliflower, pineapple, radish, cilantro and onion, and the 'Vegetales' with cumin roasted carrots, toasted almonds, cilantro, and onion. Other vegan options upon request).

The Mule (salads and many other sandwiches can be made vegan upon request. The best vegan-friendly sandwich is the 'Herbivore' with cashew cheese, roasted beets, mushroom, sun-dried tomato, pesto, avocado, grilled jalapeños, grilled onions, and chipotle aioli. Make sure to tell them you want it vegan. Gluten-free bread available upon request)

The Melting Pot: as of January 2018 they are serving vegan cheese and chocolate fondue!! They also have other vegan menu items on the menu- like ginger teriyaki tofu!!

THERE ARE MORE! I just haven't been there and experienced it for myself yet :) I will continue to change, add, and update this list as I explore. For more, click to access the Vegan OKC Dining Guide- prepared and shared by OKC vegans hoping to spread the word of growing plant-based options in OKC!

Am I missing your favorite plant-based restaurant? Have a city request? Other suggestions or comments? Click here!

One of my favorite things about visiting a new city is finding all of the hidden plant-based gems. I always get excited when traveling to the west coast because I know that I'm in for tons of vegan options. Before I left, someone suggested I join the 'Vegan Seattle' Facebook group to get some ideas. The week before I left, I posted to ask if anyone had some recommendations for a first-time vegan visitor and within an hour I had almost THIRTY (yes, 3-0) vegan restaurant recommendations. I did my best to visit the top recommendations, but barely made a dent. I was in Seattle for 6 days but was at a full-day conference for 4 of them, so unfortunately those days I only got the night/dinner out. Below you'll find a few favorites that I visited and a recommendation list of restaurants as recommended by locals and individuals from the Vegan Seattle page. I hope you enjoy!

Pike Place Market

I'll start with the obvious. Pike Place Public Market is one of the best places to get fresh fruits and veggies! There are many different fruit and vegetable stands that offer local produce for great prices. I would recommend going here one of the first days you are in Seattle to stock up on fruits and veggies for the rest of your stay. You can also find places that have great dried fruit and nuts that are so delicious! The Public Market is open on Monday-Saturday from 9-6 and on Sundays from 9-5. Don't forget your reusable bag!

Juice Emporium

The Juice Emporium is inside Pike Place market so it makes a great follow-up recommendation. They only use whole fruits, veggies, and freshly squeezed juice for all of their smoothies. There are no artificial ingredients, sugar, or other additives which makes it a great option for a snack to sip on while visiting the market. Everything here will naturally be vegan and gluten-free.

Wayward Vegan Cafe

I got this recommendation in the Vegan Seattle facebook page. Wayward is a great vegan cafe for comfort and health foods. They have entire breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus (as well as a full page of gluten-free options!) Click here to view their entire menu.

I sat up at the bar and had great conversation with the servers and had tons of great recommendations. I ended up getting the Lost Souls Scramble which is seasoned tofu scramble with green peppers, onions, broccoli,and carrots served with garlic steamed greens and toast (and I added avocado and their "chicken" breast). This is a great option for a filling plant-based meal in Seattle and will please any vegan or non-vegan, making it a great option for any group of travelers.

Plum Bistro

Another recommendation I received from the vegan Seattle page. I ended up accidentally coming at happy hour, but still got a delicious meal. Plum Bistro is an organic vegan restaurant on the corner of 12th and Pike Street- not too far of a walk from Capitol Hill Station. I got the 'Mac and Yease' which was the weirdest but most delicious Mac and Cheese I have ever had! I tried to get the waiter to tell me what was in it but he said it was a secret. I also got a side of soy chorizo which was delicious, but the waiter looked at me like I was crazy when I ordered a side of it. He deemed my meal "The Oklahoman" which was hilarious, but also sometimes you just want a little taste of some random foods, right?

Sweetgrass

A few friends and I decided to give this place a try when we were in downtown Seattle. Sweetgrass is a whole food, primarily plant-based restaurant that offers big salads, grain bowls, and smoothies/smoothie bowls. This was arguably one of my favorite places we went because the food was just so fresh and it left me feeling perfectly satisfied. I had the buddha bowl which is the picture on the right (coconut brown rice, sprouted soaked quinoa, kale, brussels sprouts, shaved red cabbage, shredded carrots, avocado, lentils, mira bar crumble, tamarind-lime vinaigrette).

Their menu has tons of breakfast, lunch, and dinner options as well as hot and cold drinks. I didn't get to try their golden milk latte, but I can only imagine how yummy it would be!! I ended up going back for dinner one day to get the acai bowl to-go and ate it on the rail back to Seatac (where my Airbnb was) and it was delish. 10/10 would recommend.

Frankie & Jo's Ice Cream

This place is a MUST-GO. The best ice cream I've ever had.. and everything is vegan and gluten free. I got the 'Gingered Golden Milk' topped with 'Salty Caramel Ash' which had activated charcoal! You can look at their unique list of flavors here.

Seriously just their entire little store I was obsessed with. Check out their website to be completely blown away as well. They are located near Seattle University which gives it a neat campus feel around the area. Don't miss out on this gem!!